FESTIVAL REVIEW: Outbreak Fest 2023

Having marked its tenth anniversary just last year, Outbreak Fest went even bigger this time around, moving to the 10,000 capacity Depot Mayfield in Manchester’s historic former railway station and taking what some certainly saw as an ambitious risk in widening its sonic scope far beyond its roots in hardcore. Alongside no-brainer bookings like SCOWL, JESUS PIECE, CODE ORANGE and CONVERGE, this year saw a wealth of hip-hop acts added to the bill – including some truly gigantic names – for a crossover experience like no other. Given how brilliant just about every set was, it feels quite safe to say that this probably won’t be a one-time thing either. Not convinced? Read on and let us change your mind.

Thursday – June 22nd

NIX 

Before things get underway at Depot Mayfield, Thursday night brings with it a sold-out pre-show just a little down the road at The Bread Shed. Headliners aside, it’s a fantastic showcase specifically of UK hardcore, with tonight’s openers NIX representing the capital on only their second ever show. As is fortunately the case for the entire evening, the Londoners have a great sound, with a nice chunky guitar tone and especially punchy kick drum ideal for their swaggering brand of heavy hardcore. They’re only on for about ten minutes – to be fair, their recent debut demo only clocks in at eight – but they still incite a decent amount of two-stepping and spin-kicking from the evening’s keenest moshers, particularly during the likes of Gospel For The Modern Age off the aforementioned demo, as well as a ripping cover of Never Had It by MADBALL.

Rating: 7/10

DYNAMITE 

With seven bands to get through, the turnarounds are quick and soon enough we’re back with another new London outfit in DYNAMITE. These guys have more of a punky sound than their predecessors and it goes down well as the room starts to fill up a fair bit; they keep the momentum and pace nice and high and there are even a few killer guitar solos that cut through the mix wonderfully as the sound crew nail it once again. Overall, it’s a fast, raucous and somewhat ramshackle set that leaves a strong impression especially thanks to their commanding and charismatic vocalist Alex who keeps the energy high on stage and demands much the same from those gathered.

Rating: 7/10

FATE 

Next up are Leeds outfit FATE and they’re quick to establish a more obviously metallic direction than the first couple of bands as they launch into a crushing intro powered by thunderous double kicks. Maybe it’s just because vocalist Sam Laycock is a total unit, but these guys certainly have an air or two of HARM’S WAY about them as they offer up a bruising concoction of thick death metal-inflected riffing and hard-hitting breakdowns with the glorious squeal of feedback filling all the space between tracks. Driving the set forward with machine-like power, drummer Alex Wizard remains a stand-out throughout, as does Laycock with his imposing presence out front, and it’s safe to say that we’ll be paying close attention indeed if this band have a debut EP or LP on the horizon.

Rating: 8/10

DESPIZE

Sticking with the more metallic theme for a moment, Glasgow’s DESPIZE are up next and well suited to keeping the levels of violence nice and high. Opening with the track Despize (always badass) off the second of their two vicious 2020 demos, the band go predictably and obscenely hard from start to finish; both tracks from their massive 2021 split with GRIDIRON get a run out, as does a new one off their much-anticipated upcoming LP. Vocalist Andy Wilson sounds absolutely scorching and draws out some of the most intense moshing of the evening, and at one point one dude even picks another up and proceeds to spin him round and round over his head as though performing some kind of wild Mortal Kombat tag team kicking move – just outstanding.

Rating: 9/10

THE FLEX 

As the crowd picks up the pieces the stage is soon bathed in a constant red light; no strobes, no colour changes, this is the explicit request of THE FLEX, firmly in keeping with the aesthetic the band have stuck to for over a decade now. At this point the Leeds-based outfit can be pretty certain of their status as UKHC legends and as they rip through a ten-song setlist it is easy enough to see why. Whether it’s a cut like W.D.N.Y. from their classic debut full-length Wild Stabs In The Dark, or Beachwood Terrace from last year’s excellent Chewing Gum For The Years, there’s a tightness and a fury to everything they do and beyond that a clear love of UK and specifically Leeds hardcore that makes them real champions of the current thriving scene.

Rating: 8/10

HIGHER POWER 

Even on an evening of such invariable quality, this next set feels truly special. HIGHER POWER have become a sizable name in recent years but tonight they take it back to where it all began with a ‘Year One’ set of only their earliest material. They kick things off with abundant bounce and swagger in Freestyler ’15 and Higher Power from their debut EP and the reaction is immediate. From here, the likes of Reflect and Burning both bring with them some truly heinous breakdowns, while Can’t Relate prompts a massive sing-along. They close with World Gone Mad from Flatspot Records’ The Extermination Compilation and somehow the now tightly-packed bodies find room for a final burst of mosh madness. As a setlist alone it’s fantastic, but it’s the tightness of the delivery that elevates it to an early contender for one of the best of the weekend.

Rating: 9/10

ONE STEP CLOSER 

If anyone can handle having such a tough act to follow it’s Wilkes-Barre straight edge crew ONE STEP CLOSER. They begin with I Feel So, the opening track off their fantastic debut full-length This Place You Know, and the rush for the mic is inevitable. The band lean heavily on that record throughout, rolling straight into Lead To Gray from there, with the hugely emotive Pringle Street following soon after and Leave Me Behind coming a little later on to inject more pace into a set that was hardly lacking.

That the band maintain such momentum is made even more impressive by the fact that they’ve got Alex Wizard (FATE/HIGHER POWER) filling in on drums for his third shift of the night, although it is still vocalist Ryan Savitski who steals the show, his impassioned screams sounding even more furious live than they do on record. As well as the Place You Know material, Savitski leads a couple of huge sing-alongs off their recent Songs For The Willow EP, and as the band bring things to a frantic close with one of their older tracks The Reach, the real joy is that they’ll be doing it all again tomorrow.

Rating: 9/10

Friday – June 23rd

PEST CONTROL – Main Stage

You’d be hard pressed to find a better opening to a weekend celebrating hardcore than crossover outfit PEST CONTROL. They tear straight into half an hour of blistering riffs, snarling vocals and seriously pissed off grooves. It doesn’t take long for the first stage divers to appear, nor the first mic grab, the likes of Don’t Test the Pest and Buggin’ Out packing breakneck speed and a healthy dose of attitude. The sound improves significantly during the first songs, until it’s a crisp, but no less acerbic, assault on the ears in the best way. Short set times are to their advantage too, the half an hour whirling by in a flurry of limbs, squealing guitar and, most importantly, fun.

Rating: 9/10

SUNAMI – Main Stage

San Jose bruisers SUNAMI are on surprisingly early given the hype that’s behind them at the moment. Admittedly their self-titled debut LP is barely over a week old as they take to the stage, and anyway it doesn’t seem to matter as the space is already absolutely packed. As you’d expect, the Californians play a fair few heavy hitters from that record, but none delivers moreso than Contempt Of Cop – arguably their biggest song and one whose mosh call remains one of the hardest ever. They’ve got beatdowns on beatdowns, their drummer Machine Gun Benny is an absolute beast, and their vocalist Josef Alonso spends pretty much the entire 20-minute set being mobbed by stage divers. Oh, and they do it all with some kind of Bruce Willis energy drink advert as their backdrop – because what else!?

Rating: 8/10

FLESHWATER – Main Stage

Sure they’re comprised of three-quarters of VEIN.FM, but FLESHWATER stray into far more reverb-drenched waters. A far more melodic prospect, especially compared to previous band SUNAMI, there’s still some of that VEIN.FM crunch to riffs, though vocally they’re a laconic mixture of grunge and shoegaze. They get a rapturous reception to their melodic palette cleanser after an abrasive start. It might be outwardly less aggressive, but that doesn’t stop the band performing as if they were delivering huge beatdowns, and the crowd is the same, with plenty of stage dives and two steps. If anything, it proves why hardcore and shoegaze are such easy bedfellows; a soaring, emotional performance that’s just another style of energy release.

Rating: 8/10

C4 – Second Stage

If you’re looking for perhaps the most American band at Outbreak Fest this weekend then search no further than Boston hardcore unit C4, explicitly so with vocalist Owen Viles donning a bandana displaying the star-spangled banner from the off and attempting USA chants early doors. The aptly named outfit explode on the second stage with a relentless bombardment of brief tracks allowing for explosive releases of energy from the crowd with a constant flowing mess of bodies at the front. Hefty retching vocals are surrounded by thrashing fast riffs and barraging drums, everything about this lot exudes powerful testosterone and burly attitude. Viles venomously patrols the stage throughout before gaining a surge of energy near the end of their time launching himself to crowd surf one side then the other, seemingly overdoing it before heaving back into another raging verse. C4 true to their name close their time with four second explosive track C-4 merely screaming “suck my nuts”, before departing with a “thanks chaps” from Viles.

Rating: 7/10

DEMONSTRATION OF POWER – Second Stage

There’s something immediately imposing about Glasgow metallic hardcore outfit DEMONSTRATION OF POWER as they get themselves situated. Initially rocking a super menacing mask/hood-up combo, vocalist Shaun is flanked by three guitarists plus usual rhythm section as the band kick into a lengthy punishing intro which sets the standard of ferocity to follow. With so much firepower to draw on, big chugging riffs and breakdowns are the order of the day from there, with some mega stand-outs from their 2021 split EP with SEED OF PAIN. At various points they’re joined on stage by some of their mates from bands like NOTHIN’ BUT ENEMIES and HELLBOUND in what is ultimately a staggering show of force – a demonstration of power even – for Glasgow hardcore and the fantastic Northern Unrest label in particular.

Rating: 9/10

NO PRESSURE – Main Stage

NO PRESSURE is something of a misnomer today as they go off like a bottle rocket. Fitting, given the presence of THE STORY SO FAR‘s Cannon Parker on vocals. Much like TSSF, they’re a pop-punk band, skewing somewhat more into the punk end with rapid fire drumming, but still with the knack for a big poppy hook. You only need one glance at the swirling pit and stage full of fans to see the enthusiasm fans have for them. It might not have the bite and snarl of most hardcore, but the sugar high induced by the hooks that stay just the right side of saccharine ensure it’s a raucous, fun set buoyed by fan enthusiasm as much as it is songs.

Rating: 7/10

MILITARIE GUN – Main Stage

Ian Shelton is something of a legend in hardcore, particularly for the grinding extremity of REGIONAL JUSTICE CENTER. What definitely wouldn’t be expected of him, then, is 90s alt rock indebted melodic hardcore; but that’s exactly what MILITARIE GUN is. They’ve just released their excellent, sound of the summer debut album Life Under The Gun, so today’s set is very much in celebration of that. Opening with an understated “hey, what’s up?” before launching into Do It Faster, the scene is set. Pressure Cooker has the front section bouncing in unison, while Don’t Pick Up the Phone While You’re On Drugs is their rendition of a love song that gets fists pumping to its “don’t pick up the phone” refrain. Any bum notes simply don’t matter; the tunes are just too good, and everyone’s having far too much fun to care.

Rating: 9/10

ROUGH JUSTICE – Second Stage

Next up on the Second Stage are Sheffield based five-piece ROUGH JUSTICE, dedicating their set from the off to the whole UK hardcore scene. Vocalist James Tippett wastes no time exercising his energy to incite to room into reckless abandon, flinging himself to cover every inch available. Their monstrous chugging riffs rarely wavering have the whole crowd on board from the off, launching off the stage and moshing throughout. It is immediately apparent the adoration this outfit has for hardcore and its likely were they not on the stage would be among the throng launching into one another, as Tippett spin kicks and two steps at any instrumental section. This sentiment is mirrored before final track Hell Is Other People where Tippett encourages the room to make new connections and friends this weekend, as that connection is true to the core of hardcore. It’s fair to say based on this response, it won’t be long until we see ROUGH JUSTICE on the Outbreak Fest Main Stage.

Rating: 8/10

ONE STEP CLOSER – Main Stage

Another dose of melodic hardcore is on offer from straight edgers ONE STEP CLOSER, who explode out with high energy opener I Feel So. Vocalist Ryan Savitski’s extremely emotive style of screaming and singing makes it hard not to be invested in the outfit as they rattle through a set featuring older tracks as well as this year’s Songs For The Willow EP, including a live debut for T.T.S.P. Their accessible blend of almost pop-punk rhythms has the crowd eagerly endeared, with arms aloft throughout self-proclaimed stage dive emotional banger Turn To Me. A large portion of the golden circle indulge and launch themselves into their compatriots, in full voice for the climactic call of “Stay With Me”. They close with fan favourite The Reach, a rhythmic onslaught ramping up through the whole track, allowing guitarist Ross Thompson to aggressively hurl his guitar around as though he were in the middle of a pit himself.

Rating: 7/10

RESTRAINING ORDER – Second Stage

You won’t find a band on the Outbreak Fest bill that plays faster than RESTRAINING ORDER. The Western Massachusetts outfit keep things classic, with vocalist Patrick Cozens humbly requesting “a million stage dives” before the band launch into the raging 40-second opener from their debut full-length This World Is Too Much. Most of the rest of the songs in the set are confined to similarly tight runtimes, and as much as it whizzes by, the main thing that makes RESTRAINING ORDER so fun is the fact that they actually have hooks. Tracks like Don’t Really Think, Be Like Me and Something For The Youth all carry easy to pick up sing or shout-alongs, and with the super bouncy recent single Misled and another track from their upcoming sophomore effort in the mix as well it’s a good reminder to mark your calendars for the arrival of Locked In Time on July 21st.

Rating: 8/10

HIGH VIS – Main Stage

Like no frills punk? Good, because that’s exactly what HIGH VIS bring to the table. There’s an undercurrent of melody, wrapped in old school punk sensibilities and a good dose of indie, slacker rock but it’s all run through a love of punk in its purest, most unrestrained form. “You’re all fucking dickheads here,” quips frontman Graham Sayle midway through their set with a grin on his face; it’s a remark on the equalising power of punk, something easy to see when there’s no barrier between the band and fans. There’s been hype building around the outfit for a while, and with today’s energetic, raucous set, they prove exactly why people are flocking to them.

Rating: 8/10

PAIN OF TRUTH – Second Stage

PAIN OF TRUTH may have literally just announced their debut full-length for September but the Long Islanders have already managed to generate a ridiculous amount of hype with something like eight songs to their name at present. Their sub-headlining slot on the Second Stage at Outbreak Fest demonstrates exactly why; quite simply, they’re one of the hardest bands in the world right now. Their set draws on material everywhere from that much-anticipated LP to their already classic debut EP and split with AGE OF APOCALYPSE and comes laden with guest spots (among them a supremely hard turn from Colin Young of TWITCHING TONGUES/GOD’S HATE/HardLore fame) and loads of massive sub-bass drops heavy enough to reduce grown men to tears. They finish with The Test off the 2020 EP before vocalist Michael Smith quite aptly concludes “Go fuck yourself”.

Rating: 9/10

DEFEATER – Main Stage

After a day largely dominated by new blood – as indeed it should be – Boston melodic hardcore veterans DEFEATER are the first of the last few bands on the Main Stage who’ve been around a fair while longer. Theirs is an emotive, mesmeric set, full of fan favourites like Bastard, Spared In Hell and Dear Father. They have a huge, epic sound, although they can be just as strikingly delicate when they want to, with the penultimate song of the set Cowardice making for a dynamic, lump-in-throat-inducing highlight as vocalist Derek Archambault dedicates it to “anybody you put in the ground too early”. As they usually do, they close with The Red, White And Blues – dedicated to Archambault’s grandfather – having given some wonderful representation for the state of Massachusetts with a couple absolute worldies waiting in the wings to do the same.

Rating: 8/10

SPY – Second Stage

Closing out the second stage are aggressive hardcore fourpiece SPY with arguably some of the most brutal midrange screams in the game. They arrive at Outbreak Fest having dropped latest ten track LP Satisfaction merely three weeks before tonight, and it’s clearly well revered packing out the Second Stage right to the very back. The whole stage is a messy blend of hefty dry ice and sweaty bodies, with vocalist and songwriter Peter Pawlak flailing as though possessed while releasing a vocal so volatile and bestial you are cut to your core merely witnessing it. Tracks like Big Man and Hidden In Plain Sight offer moments that have a slightly doomier edge to them, with the half time sludging rhythms allowing for more traditional moshing, but these moments don’t last long as they frequently mash up the speed back to relentless beatings getting the crowd back on stage and leaping as they have done through the whole set. Undoubtedly this is a set that will have cemented SPY in the memories of all who witnessed.

Rating: 9/10

CONVERGE – Main Stage

“We’re a band called CONVERGE, we’re just gonna get our hands down and play”. Jake Bannon knows he doesn’t need to say any more than that; the eruption of crowd chaos is immediate as the metallic hardcore legends launch into a rapid volley of Eagles Become Vultures, Dark Horse and Under Duress. CONVERGE are always a force to be reckoned with and tonight is no exception. They operate as a perfect unit; the thunder of Ben Koller’s drums, the weight of Nate Newton’s bass, the freneticism of Kurt Ballou’s riffs and the sheer agony of Bannon’s vocals – all in their rightful place as the band rip from track to track from across their peerless discography.

They structure the set brilliantly, the lumbering Hell To Pay right after the hair-raising violence of Concubine (imagine any other band being able to fire that out mid set), and the slower heft of Worms Will Feed / Rats Will Feast following a run of ragers in both cases bringing a vital degree of ebb and flow to proceedings. They end it with a real treat too: a rare outing for The Saddest Day from 1996’s Petitioning The Empty Sky – could anyone ever ask for more?

Rating: 10/10

BANE – Main Stage

How do you follow a set from one of the most legendary metalcore bands in the world? Simple; you follow it up with a co-headline set from another legendary band, the recently-reformed BANE. They bound on stage a full five minutes early, clearly keen to be back onstage. Less than a second after the first note hits, the stage is swarmed and the band are bounding round it. “Who hasn’t seen BANE before?” Aaron Bedard grins knowingly as seemingly the whole crowd raises their hands and cheers. As Bedard asks the crowd to look after one another, particularly stage divers, it’s easy to assume it’s standard stage patter, but BANE have always been more than that and it comes across as the earnest plea for unity and community that it is, even in such a seemingly small gesture. They’re not all talk, of course, with breakdowns that seethe and chug, furious bellowed vocals and drumming that threatens to obliterate the kit. The energy might seem low at points, but given their recently returned status it’s hardly unforgivable, and the crowd certainly make up for it in the heavy hitting numbers. This coheadline underscores just how special BANE are; when several bands, including the mighty CONVERGE are proclaiming their gratitude to be sharing the stage with them, that truly does say it all.

Rating: 9/10

Saturday – June 24th

Candy – Main Stage

What better way to make sure everyone’s awake than the death metal-inflected, sludge-soaked hardcore of CANDY? Bad news for anyone who pounded a meal deal on the way in because these guys are mean as anything and whether it’s a cut from their 2017 demo or something from last year’s Heaven Is Here LP the intention is always violence. Their guitarist does have to contend with a few tech problems, but their riffs hit thick and hard nonetheless and they have it all sorted by the time they bring the set to a close with the stompy crusher Human Target. As is generally the case with everything they play off their 2018 debut full-length Good To Feel, this one goes down really well, with vocalist Zak Quiram ripping a truly glorious stage dive right at the end to set a solid standard for day two right from the outset.

Rating: 8/10

MIDDLEMAN – Second Stage

Opening the second stage on Saturday are London punk trio MIDDLEMAN, providing some 80s influenced punk and hardcore. They bring an attitude and alternative angle to the scene than some other bands we have seen thus far. Drummer Lily Pym pulls out complicated grooves and angular tempo switches that bind the whole trio and provide a lot of the interest. For a set with a great deal of musical energy and attitude, the movement on stage doesn’t quite mirror this with somewhat of a static position taken by the two members out front which unfortunately doesn’t encourage much of the crowd to invest their own energy. Despite this, MIDDLEMAN pull out a set with a great deal of sonic diversity ranging from more doomy punk to fast thrashing hardcore, so it is certain there is a great deal more to come from this outfit.

Rating: 6/10

NARROW HEAD – Main Stage

Returning to Outbreak Fest from last year having since released their sophomore LP Moments Of Clarity, Texan grunge/alt-metallers NARROW HEAD open their set with the dreamy, driving shoegaze of that record’s first track The Real. They’re a bit more of an outlier on the Outbreak Fest bill this year than they were last year and they do get a bit washed out by all the distortion on their guitars at points but they still go down well. Jacob Duarte’s melodic vocals cut through clearly and sound fantastic, although it’s later in the set as the band kick into some of their heavier tracks and Duarte unleashes a few harsher screams that things really pick up – perhaps more of an indicator of where the crowd’s at this year rather than any particular reflection on the band themselves.

Rating: 7/10

SPEEDWAY – Second Stage

Next up on the Second Stage at Outbreak Fest are Stockholm based quartet SPEEDWAY, who get underway after brief technical difficulties for bassist Jens Kokko. Vocalist Anton Larsson leads the energetic charge throwing himself in every direction from the off, visibly delighted to be here. It isn’t just Larsson who is electric with his movements but the whole group notably put their whole bodies into the performance, engaging the crowd with ease, earning themselves the first crowd surfer of the morning here at the second stage. Tracks like Balance almost have an eighties feel sat within the fast-paced thrashing grooves that adds a novel twist to their sound. They rattle through their sprinting twenty-minute set with barely a thought, announcing they will be releasing new music in a matter of weeks and performing a new song for the eager audience. Undoubtedly, everyone who came down early and caught this infectious energy will be eager to check out what is to come next for the Swedish fourpiece.

Rating: 8/10

SCOWL – Main Stage

Californian sensations SCOWL played their first-ever UK show at last year’s instalment of Outbreak Fest and this year they show just how far they’ve come since then. While they open with Retail Hell from their Reality After Reality EP, they soon reach for the 90s-tinged new material from this year’s brilliant Psychic Dance Routine, with Shot Down, Wired and the title track all sounding wonderfully raw and energetic. The crowd loves them; it’s a constant sea of two steppers, hardcore dancers and stage dives (often all at the same time), while Bloodhound sees the stage becoming totally inundated. Livewire vocalist Kat Moss expresses their gratitude more than once, clearly thankful to have been embraced so wholeheartedly by the UK (“you guys, what the fuck?” she exclaims after Dead to Me), which the crowd response to going utterly feral for their entire set. An incendiary set from the most exciting band in hardcore.

Rating: 10/10

FURY – Main Stage

So often much of the notable interest of witnessing hardcore acts live comes from the vocalists and their high-octane crowd control. California based FURY are no exception to this rule, but there is undoubtedly a different feeling about vocalist Jeremy Stith. His unassuming, humble demeaner between songs along with his tucked in white vest top lead to the question of whether their set will be a touch softer than other acts so far this weekend. After five minutes, having already rattled through three tracks in Danse, Thin Line, and Angels Over Berlin, this question is quickly dispelled and their connection with those in the crowd devoutly established as they hang on every word and yearn to take over his poetic lyrics. As soon as each track begins Stith flicks in a moment to a classic punk performer, arm behind his back, throttling words at the mic with disdain. They close with The Feeling which leaves Stith swarmed with his powerful words being taken over by the throng around him, visibly emotional at the response to their time.

Rating: 9/10

ARMAND HAMMER – Main Stage

As the first hip-hop act of the weekend, ARMAND HAMMER are a marked departure from what’s come before at Outbreak Fest. The duo certainly have the songs and the flows, but the energy levels have taken a noticeable step down at the outset. It’s a shame; the duo bring an exciting take on New York rap but it doesn’t quite translate to the setting, and them seemingly selecting each track from a laptop between songs doesn’t help. While some of the crowd are receptive, what should’ve been a set highlighting the huge crossover between hip hop and hardcore takes time to find its feet, but is much more compelling once it does.

Rating: 7/10

MIKE – Main Stage

New York rapper MIKE strolls on to smooth jazz licks by Fela Kuti through the PA, encouraging the crowd to cheer for everyone from lighting technicians to fellow artists; it’s a statement of inclusivity that’s not lost on a festival with such a community-minded ethos. The beats are laconic but there’s plenty of energy onstage and off, the call and response of World Market early in the set keeping the crowd involved even without stage dives. MIKE beams from ear to ear throughout, especially when he spots people singing back every word. Where ARMAND HAMMER didn’t quite stick the landing at first, MIKE hits the ground running for a set that proves the huge crossover appeal he has to punk and hardcore.

Rating: 8/10

SOUL GLO – Main Stage

If there is some kind of Outbreak Fest venn diagram out there you’d probably find SOUL GLO somewhere in the middle, so it’s no surprise really that their set proves to be one of the weekend’s rowdiest and most chaotic. Tracks like B.O.M.B.S. (Back On My Bullshit) and Driponomics stand out even amid relentless moshing, but it’s set closer Gold Chain Punk (whogonbeatmyass?) that leaves the most lasting impression of all as it sees what must be at least – at least – 100 people piled onto the stage as it all ends in complete pandemonium. By this point vocalist Pierce Jordan is flat on his back, and the fact that the crowd continue chanting the track’s hook even after the band have cleared the stage is a pretty good indicator that you’re probably looking at the future of hardcore right here.

Rating: 9/10

JESUS PIECE – Main Stage

Philly bruisers JESUS PIECE seem to have made it their personal mission to ensure as many people leave the pit injured as possible. With metallic hardcore that’s as aggro as it is ignorant, they very quickly lay waste to the stage, while a constant sea of stagedivers makes their way up, limbs whirling as they cross the stage before hurtling back off. The intensity is ridiculous; before a particularly nasty breakdown, drummer Luis Aponte headbutts his floor tom furiously and all the while, frontman Aaron Heard incites larger and larger pits. The crowd seethes like a pot boiling over as the band tear through their deliriously heavy hardcore, leaving plenty of battered bodies in their wake.

Rating: 9/10

DENZEL HIMSELF – Second Stage 

Catching attention with your image is a skill, especially at a festival like Outbreak Fest, and aggressive rap artist DENZEL HIMSELF, emerging in a black Stetson hat and skirt referring to himself as the “Goth Cowboy”, certainly catches the eye. His unique blend of rap mixed with moments of heavy cut up drum samples and huge bass lines complement his in-your-face bars and performance. Claiming to have grown up in hardcore, DENZEL HIMSELF isn’t here to mess about, getting up close and personal with the crowd and wins them over easily earning call and response chants of “oh shit” in latest single Goth Peggy and opening a pit to Brooklyn. He closes his time with a track he describes as his “autistic anthem” in Live A Lot, about the autistic experience and the struggles of understanding yourself, in which he throws himself into the crowd eagerly inciting a buzz in the room. As DENZEL HIMSELF departs from the stage it certainly isn’t just his aesthetic that sticks in your mind, but comfortably the performance also.

Rating: 7/10

CODE ORANGE – Main Stage

Who knew SHANIA TWAIN could be so disturbing? As I’m Gonna Getcha Good! plays over a montage of clips from Martin Scorcese’s Taxi Driver, the sense of anticipation for the arrival of CODE ORANGE is unreal. Vocalist Jami Morgan is bleeding from the head within seconds of taking to the stage, the band kicking off the setlist proper with recent single Grooming My Replacement as two gaping mosh-pits open in the crowd. At no point does the intensity dip from there either; from the bouncy anthem Bleeding In The Blur, to the well-placed doominess of Dreams In Inertia, to the sheer violence of closing tracks My World and Forever, the band leave every ounce of themselves on stage – apart from the moments when they dive off it perhaps. Later they tweet that it was “probably [their] favourite show of all time”, and you’ll find no arguments to the contrary here.

Rating: 10/10

DEATH GRIPS – Main Stage

As the usually busy stage of photographers and stage crew is somewhat lighter due to no one being allowed to shoot tonight’s headliners, there is an air of mystery surrounding what we are about to encounter. The whole backdrop suddenly illuminates a deep red that burns bright and the enigmatic figures that are DEATH GRIPS emerge to bedlam. Openers System Blower and I’ve Seen Footage erupt the room into pure havoc with the brutal industrial synths of Andy Morrin supplementing the improbably energetic drums of Zach Hill. Stealing the show though is front man MC Ride, whose limbs ragdoll about him as he flows back and forth over the furious beats. Their energy is relentless, pulling out pummelling bangers one after another barely giving the room chance to react to the last. The room is mindlessly overtaken by the world of DEATH GRIPS, with a few over eager fans causing the show to be halted as at least six people have climbed the pillars of the golden circle. The visual scene is almost cinematic in its pandemonium.

The silhouettes of the trio only further add to the occult sense of the performance with others appearing before them fleetingly only to be launched back into the red swamp of sweat and skin. Guillotine opens up the room as expected with the whole room partaking in refrain of its title, but a particular highlight can be designated to the blasting Giving Bad People Good Ideas, the furore of which opens up a sea of mosh pits throughout the golden circle. Not a word is said to the whole room through the whole surging hour, but there needn’t have been any. This maelstrom set controlled the room into beautiful mayhem, words could only be a mere distraction.

Rating: 10/10

Sunday – June 25th

ZULU – Main Stage

In a departure from the rest of the weekend, security actually let the crowd into the front section early today. It’s a wise move as ZULU have released one of the best albums of the year in A New Tomorrow and it’s clear no-one wants to miss this. The Los Angeles powerviolence band play a load of the highlights off that record, hitting hard with the likes of Where I’m From and Lyfe Az A Shorty Shun B So Ruff all the way through to the wild final breakdown of 52 Fatal Strikes. But as much as their music can be so bruising and violent, it’s the sense of fun – the dancing, the samples, the celebration of community – running through the whole set that makes this such a special way to start the day.

Rating: 9/10

BUGGIN – Second Stage

BUGGIN have the unenviable task of opening the second stage but the crowd shows up for them in droves. Vocalist Bryanna Bennett has clearly dashed over from their guest spot with ZULU who tore open the main stage just before them and they are full of energy. It’s their first UK show ever but you wouldn’t know it from the packed stage. They blitz through bursts of high octane hardcore including debuting new song All Eyes On You, as raucous as it is fun. There’s grins plastered across the band’s faces as they tear into Buggin Out, clearly having the best time playing to such an enthusiastic crowd. Debut album Concrete Cowboys shows a band with not only a message but a sense of humour and that’s readily apparent throughout a set that acts as a real statement of intent for such an exciting new band.

Rating: 8/10

SPEED – Main Stage

Capping off a phenomenal opening run for Flatspot Records are Sydney hardcore champions SPEED. There’s hype and then there’s whatever these guys have, because one look at the size of the mob at the merch table before they’ve even played a note confirms that this one is going to be huge. And it is. Vocalist Jem Siow begins with a simple request, “respect each other and mosh hard as fuck”, and it’s impossible not to comply when the band kick off with the massive One Blood We Bleed. They hit the crowd with breakdown after bruising breakdown, giving every track on their debut EP Gang Called Speed a killer run out – among a few others – and culminating in the huge gang vocal sing-alongs of Not That Nice. These guys clearly just live and breathe hardcore, which probably explains why they’re so ridiculously good at it.

Rating: 9/10

TOM THE MAIL MAN – Second Stage

Music in recent years seems to have gone through a transition away from genre being concretely attached to artists as a box they remain within, and TOM THE MAIL MAN is one artist who has taken this movement and run with it. His melodic rap style flows over chill hip-hop grooves, pop-punk style tracks and heavier modern trap beats. Most endearing though, is his effort to connect with the room, encouraging singalongs and participation whenever the moment presents. He gets the room to sit down as he joins the crowd on the floor for acoustic number Brown Eyes And Backwoods, creating one of the most wholesome moments of the weekend, counterpointed by closing by encouraging and participating in a circle pit during his closing track Broke performing throughout to the agony of the crew holding the microphone cable aloft to prevent inadvertent garrotting. He departs to a great cheer from those who attended after what can only be described as a jubilant set from TOM THE MAIL MAN.

Rating: 8/10

DEIJUVHS – Second Stage

East London’s DEIJUVHS blends genre with abandon; the rap rock Freakazoid sits alongside DEFTONESier numbers without losing a clear identity that runs through them. In the confines of the second stage the beats become oppressive, while DEIJUVHS keeps the mood light between songs as he makes self-deprecating jokes about smoking or grins “shout out the vegans”. A broken guitar partway through doesn’t derail them; a short quip about having to do standup and good natured insults the guitarist’s way and they’re good to go again. More metal adjacent than hardcore, it doesn’t faze anyone as they happily go nuts for DEIJUVHS from the get go, reinforcing yet again that this year’s mixed bill has been nothing short of a roaring success, even if their music isn’t the most original.

Rating: 7/10

MEECHY DARKO – Main Stage

“When I say hands up what the fuck you gonna do?” – MEECHY DARKO is determined to make an impact at his first ever solo festival appearance. Best known as one third of the hip-hop trio FLATBUSH ZOMBIES, the Brooklyn rapper has his hype skills honed to perfection. He kicks off with a few cuts from his critically-acclaimed solo debut Gothic Luxury, unable to resist doing most of the swaggering Get Lit Or Die Tryin’ right in amongst the crowd. Admittedly he does tend to waffle a bit between songs when he could definitely have played a couple more, but he’s clearly having fun and so is everyone else, especially as he ends with a run of FBZ classics capped off by the participation-heavy Palm Trees from the trio’s beloved 2013 mixtape BetterOffDead.

Rating: 8/10

SHOW ME THE BODY – Main Stage

New York experimentalists SHOW ME THE BODY being the noise after MEECHY DARKO, their kitchen sink hardcore a cacophony of barks, noise rock and even banjo. A moody intro with menacing ambient sounds soon unfurls into industrial noise, frontman Julian Cashwan Pratt intoning screeds of doom on top. Those jagged, sludgy edges might be at odds with most what’s come before them today but the crowd go just as hard as they have all day, stage security having to chase off more than a few mic grabbers. The energy doesn’t let up either; pulsing electronics, banjo flourishes and thunderous bass all coalesce into an experimental, but totally enthralling half hour.

Rating: 9/10

JESHI – Second Stage

Immediately afterwards, on the second stage, rapper JESHI brings his tales of working class disenfranchisement and struggle under austerity, though it’s not the most auspicious start as he’s almost ten minutes late for a thirty minute set, but does at least get his full slot. Once he’s on though, his flow is electrifying, easily catching people who stroll in for a look just as much as those down the front for him. The lateness might be down to his admittance that “I just spent three days at Glasto so I’m feeling a bit fucked up,” but he doesn’t sound it at all. Consistently on point with incisive bars and beats that keep heads nodding throughout, JESHI is another standout moment from a clearly-well curated hip-hop side of the mixed lineup.

Rating: 8/10

LOATHE – Main Stage

Next up on the Main Stage at Outbreak Fest for their second year in a row are Liverpool quartet LOATHE, inarguably one of the most exciting bands in the whole of heavy music. They walk out to their typical ambient synth intro to a gargantuan cheer, before submerging into the crushing Aggressive Evolution, with the ear worming chorus hook from guitarist Erik Bickerstaffe being overhauled by much of the room. Bringing a set heavy with tracks off sophomore album I Let It In And It Took Everything, they pack in both their heftier and softer side, with the muscle of tracks like New Faces In The Dark being balanced by singalongs like Two-Way Mirror, this set shows LOATHE prove their diversity and their unabashed desire to be themselves, and the room visibly adores them for it, with a fan embracing vocalist Kadeem France at the end of Is It Really You. For closing track Gored a mosh pit almost full depth of the golden circle is opened awaiting the monster riff, enclosing in a mess of flesh, and spanning the full song. LOATHE are a group with seemingly no barrier in their progression, and will no doubt be in the running for headlining in the coming years.

Rating: 9/10

TRAPPED UNDER ICE – Main Stage

Baltimore heavy hardcore legends TRAPPED UNDER ICE don’t have a bad song in their discography but they still choose one of the very best to start. Born To Die is the first of about 15 big bouncy ragers the band rail through this evening, led of course by their inimitable and instantly recognisable frontman Justice Tripp. They throw out Pleased To Meet You mid-set just because they can, the stage absolutely rammed with bodies for the track’s iconic sing-along. It’s definitely the rowdiest moment of the set from a crowd perspective, but the band themselves still have loads to give as they draw from across their entire discography with a precision and power befitting their status as one of the best to ever do it. Here’s hoping they add to such a flawless catalogue again some day.

Rating: 9/10

WIKI – Second Stage

Changes to timings scuppers the rumoured secret BASEMENT set and delays WIKI until between EARL SWEATSHIRT and DENZEL CURRY thought it hasn’t seemed to bother him or the crowd that flocks to his set. Another representative of New York’s fertile rap scene, laconic beats meet a chill delivery that’s pure NY drawl. By his own admission he’s only just arrived in from the US having been at a friend’s wedding, dedicating his second song “to the lovers”, and its free-floating instrumental is pure beach romance. Later numbers showcase WIKI‘s ability to move seamlessly into heavier, more aggressive bars, giving the set a real dynamism that’s engrossing and impossible to not be won over by.

Rating: 8/10

TURNOVER – Main Stage

Being somewhat of an outlier at a festival like Outbreak Fest is an odd position to be in given the level of energy and power so associated with the crowds, but it is one that TURNOVER find themselves comfortable in. Their blend of shoegaze, pop-rock, and indie don’t at first glance seem harmonious with hardcore, but their esteem is notable by the packed-out golden circle for their more reserved set. Silhouetted by 80s acid trip visuals for the full forty minutes, TURNOVER pull out a set with lots of singalong moments, with great cheers at the opening chords of fan favourites Cutting My Fingers Off and Humming, the former of which even earning them some crowd surfers. Vocalist Austin Getz comments on how appreciative they are to still be loved and play shows in the hardcore scene that they developed in despite having a different sound now. They close their time after a brief discussion with Take My Head for another monumental crowd singalong, bringing their first moments in which the crowd invade the stage and leap back into their compatriots, some feat for such a gloriously sweeping set.

Rating: 8/10

EARL SWEATSHIRT – Main Stage

Penultimate act for the weekend is rapper EARL SWEATSHIRT with classic hip-hop sample-built beats and a laidback flow. Everything about his demeaner is laid back as he wanders the stage pulling out his lyrics with ease on brief opening tracks The Bends and Ontheway! after initially seeming a bit surprised at the scale of the room he quickly finds a rhythm and starts having fun with the crowd. He rattles through the start of his set performing lots of quickfire tracks with looping chilled beats which are hard not to groove along to. Second Stage headliner WIKI emerges from backstage to feature on two tracks to a loud cheer for his track All I Need. He pulls out a few tracks with a more modern aggressive type beat in Vision and 2010 which animate the crowd a lot more, getting arms up bopping and a few people to launch themselves off the stage. He wasn’t quite an energy builder before the closing headliner, but EARL SWEATSHIRT certainly brought a vibe to the room with his classic hip-hop sensibilities.

Rating: 7/10

DENZEL CURRY – Main Stage

It’s mad that a festival that was being held at a 1,400 capacity venue pre-pandemic has ballooned to a size where it can have DENZEL CURRY as its final day headliner. The Florida rap megastar closes the weekend in full party mode, his setlist an hour of bouncy bass-heavy bangers from the moment he kicks off with Walkin from last year’s widely acclaimed Melt My Eyez See Your Future. It’s an incendiary opener, but this is only level one; Ain’t No Way goes harder still, while later he brings out LIL UGLY MANE to perform their collaborative track Twistin’ for what is clearly a very special moment for the crowd and duo alike.

As a rapper, Curry’s flow is impeccable; at multiple points he kills the beat entirely to go acapella without missing a word, which is even more impressive considering the relentless momentum of the set and just how much of it he spends bouncing and running around. “Usually we do an intermission but you know what, fuck that” he scoffs, powering through the likes of RICKY, SUMO | ZUMO and the inevitably gigantic Ultimate before closing with the as yet unreleased Blood On My Nikes to leave no doubt as to the resounding success of the bold new direction Outbreak Fest has taken this year.

Rating: 9/10

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Words: Ellis Heasley, Will Marshall, Ed Truby